June 8, 2009
The Editor,
Dear Sir,
Re: Your Publication of ‘Petition by Chief Mathhew Emitimi and Comrade Kingsley Ohwobeno’
The publication of petitions addressed to Security and Government agencies and copied to the press is dangerous and should be published with caution, while the addressee will usually investigate before going public, Publishers publishing unsubstantiated petitions stand the risk of doing irreparable damage to the reputation and integrity of innocent persons, but worse still, their website.
On Friday 5th June 2009, Your site published a petition addressed to the EFCC and copied to the FIRS said to be signed by a Chief Mathhew Emitimi and Comrade Ohwobeno, accusing the person of Chief Andy Osawota of massive fraud in DESOPADEC.
The publication of such unsubstantiated allegations is wrong and slanderous, while we expect the authorities to do their investigation when they get such petitions, your publishing without investigating assists faceless antagonists posing as affected petitioners to tarnish the characters of victims. It is therefore our wish that you give adequate publicity to this rejoinder to ensure that readers of your site do not take the allegations as true.
1. It must be pointed out that the name Emitimi is not known in Delta State, they are of course unable to Spell Matthew. In Delta State the Name Ohwobeno is a curse rather than a surname, so publishing ‘petitions’ by persons using alias of this nature smack of hatchet writers out to damage the reputation of others. One can also smell a rat from a mile, that these are politicians out for political vendetta and the strong political association(UMU) of Chief Osawota that is firmly based, and a threat to those who fear the future.
2. Procedures in the Commission does not allow for the payment of Tax deductions into private accounts. The ‘Petitioners’ do not know the hierarchical structure of the Commission, Approving Authorities, and Executive supervision in place, hence the frivolous allegation. This lack of correct information has made them to assume that 10% of the Capital budget of the Commission is due FIRS, as if a budget is actual expenditure.
3. Computation of Remittances to FIRS and The Delta State Inland Revenue Services fall into the purview of the Head of Finance Dept. not a Chief Accountant, he computes what tax is to be deducted, what is to be remitted to FIRS and State Inland Revenue Service, such remittance are done after the necessary due processes and Audit is done. It is good to mention that Withholding Taxes deducted from Limited Liability Companies are remitted to FIRS while those from non-limited companies are paid to the State Inland Revenue Services. As for VAT, those deducted are matched against those paid by the Commission. A reconciled balance is what is due to the FIRS. The 220 jobs completed as published by the Commission are being computed for payment. So where did these evil duo get their mis-information from? Definitely from their evil imagination and machination for political slander to stiffle at birth Chief Osawota’s UMU; a great source of trepidation to political detractors.
4. As for allegations of properties owned by Chief Osawota, in one breath they claim the Assets Declaration is shrouded in secrecy, while in another they list properties that were not declared. Which then, do we believe? It smacks of lack of confidence of facts and brazen falsehood, by their own showing. As all who know Chief Osawota will testify, He inherited a 6-Bed room building from his late Father in 1993, while he has been developing his personal property at Orogun, for the past 15 years on a plot of land bequeathed to him by his larger family. His other properties in Warri, Lagos and other places have been acquired long before his appointment. Chief Osawota has not been known to be a pauper, and was doggedly running a lucrative law practice for 26 years, before the appointment. It is absurd to value a 6 bedroom duplex in Warri at N250m, what a mischief!
5. On the purchase of 100 Hyundai Buses: The name of such a dealer should not be far fetched. Why not provide the details of such a dealer in Warri or wherever. It is Chief Osawota’s involvement in this Association(UMU) that is the reason for this petition. And these fictitious and faceless writers know better that there is no need making false allegations on a cause they don’t believe in or which they fear; striving to stifle at birth.
6. On the allegation that he bought an estate from Chief Poge Otirikpe, nothing can be further from the truth and a slap on the face of our beloved Chief Poge(The Otota of Udu Kingdom) who is still very much around to attest to the rental of his property by the Commission.
7. As to having hefty Bank Accounts with many Banks listed, Chief Osawota has no Accounts with many of the Banks quoted and any offshore Accounts, in the UK and in the USA or anywhere, while the heftiness is the figment of their imagination. This is yet another attempt to blackmail and distract.
8. Chief Osawota has cars, before his appointment, he is also entitled to official cars, and therefore such allegations are absurd and pointless.
We believe these allegations are the handiwork of enemies of Delta State, especially the enemies of the Oil Producing Communities, and coming soon after the tragedy in the Riverine Areas of the State, they are meant to distract the Commission and the Government, cause disaffection among the Host Communities and encourage crisis. A crisis that will not benefit the people of the State but losers who will rather divide the Child than let the baby live.
The works of the Commission, which are now due for commissioning will no doubt boost the popularity of the Governor, and this is the main target of these hatchet writers. With the bloodshed in the Swamps, the Commissioning is postponed, while these allegations will all tend to negate the positive impact of the Government and its achievements.
The records of the Commission are there for all to see, while the authorities know how to get their facts. The general public need be informed accurately, so as not to fall into the trap of detractors and politicians who see no good in the works of the Government.
Such persons are advised to be more inward looking and practice politics without bitterness, to enable them preach love and harmony, a goal that will continue the peace and security that the present State Governor has so struggled to put in place. THIS SHOULD BE THEIR PREOCCUPATION.
Ugo J. Oneku
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